Flooring



J. MEGEE FLOORING May 10, 1938.

Filed May 17, 1957 ii M INVENTOR BY mjfmr.

HIS ATTORNEYS Patented May 10, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2Claims.

My invention relates to building structures and includes among itsobjects and advantages the provision of an improved parquet-floorsection and method of constructing such floors, walls, and ceilings.

An object of my invention is to provide floor or wall sections of acomposite nature in which the sections are constructed to haveinterlocking tongue and groove connections with each other and in whichthe elements making up the composite sections are effectively connectedinto a unitary structure without the aid of nails.

Another object is to provide composite sections made up of unitseffectively connected in edge to edge relation through the medium ofbars extending through the units and in which the bars are soconstructed and arranged as to provide means for effectively anchoringthe composite sections to a supporting structure.

Another object is to provide floor or wall sections constructed in sucha manner as to permil; effective anchorage of the sections to asupporting structure without passing nails or screws through thesections, thus avoiding splitting and marring of the sections asfrequently occurs in connection with the laying of hardwoord flooring.

Another object is to provide composite sections which may be made up ofvarious sizes and shapes and in which the sections may be quickly andeasily laid with comparatively little trouble and expense.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a floor made up of my compositesections;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View taken from the position indicated by line3-3 of Fig. 2 with a portion of the structure broken away for the sakeof clearness;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of two of the composite sections; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment selected to illustrate my invention I make use of aplurality of composite sections l6 and I2 which are individually builtup of elements M, each element being provided with a groove IS in oneedge and a tongue I8 at its opposite edge. The elements 14 may be cutfrom conventional hatrwood flooring. In the drawing I illustrate thesections In and [2 as being square, but the sections may be made invarious lengths and widths depending upon the pattern desired. Theelements I4 are bored at L Referring to Fig. 2, the rod 22 has athreaded end 24 for the reception of a nut 26 which lies within a bore28 in its associated element I4. The opposite end of the bar 22 is bentto provide a right angular reach 36 which terminates in an eye 32 lyingin the plane paralleling the sections [6 and I2. I provide the element Massociated with the right angular bend with a groove 34 foraccommodating the bend 30. The lower face of the eye 32 lies in a planesubstantially common with the bottom surface 36 of the section l2 sothat the section may be firmly anchored to the floor 38 by a screw 40passing through the eye and anchored in the floor. The element M of thesection In adjacent the eye 32 is recessed at 42 for accommodating theeye.

Nut 26 is provided with diametrically opposed slots 44 for the receptionof a bifurcated screw driver. After the elements [4 have been assembledand the rods 22 placed in position, the elements may be clamped in firmpressure relation by tightening the nuts 26. The bend '30 has abuttingrelation with its associated element l4 while the nut 26 has pressurerelation with the bottom of the groove 28 so that the elements M will bedrawn firmly together by mere tightening of the nuts. The tongue I8 ofthe element [4 associated with the bend 30 is recessed at 46 to provideclearance for the screws 40 and the screw driver.

After tightening of the nuts 26, U-shaped staples 48 are driven into theelements [4 and span the abutting edges of the connected elements, asillustrated in Fig. 3. The bight parts of the staples are driven intothe elements sufiiciently far to lie flush with the bottom surface 36 ofthe elements. Fig. 4 illustrates the arrangement of the grooves l6 andthe tongues IS with respect to the sections ill and I4. Section [0, whenviewed according to Fig. 4, has its tongue l8 extending along theleft-hand edge of the section with the tions may be laid according toFig. 1 with the eyes 32 so positioned as to permit access thereto forfastening the sections to the floor 38. The sections In and I2 of Fig. 1may be interconnected in such a manner that the grain of the wood in onesection will run at right angles to the grain of the wood in theadjacent section or sections.

While I have defined the invention as being embodied in a floor, thesections l and I2 are equally applicable to Wall and ceiling structures.The sections may be effectively connected with a supporting structurethrough the medium of the screws 40, which screws are so arranged as toeliminate the necessity for additional nailing. Hardwood flooring isdiflicult to nail because of its tendency to split.

The sections Ill and I2 may be precut to exact shape, sanded, varnished,and otherwise finished complete for installation in the building. Thus,the user may secure finished sections and incorporate them in thebuilding structure without further finishing.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain myinvention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adaptthe same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

1. A building unit having a tongue and groove for interlocking relationwith the tongue and groove of a similar unit, said building unitcomprising a plurality of elements, rod means extending transverselythrough the elements, and a nut on one end of said rod means, said rodmeans having its opposite end offset to provide an abutment, saidabutment having pressure relation with one side of the unit and said nuthaving pressure relation with the opposite side of the unit, said nutbeing housed within the contour of the unit, said abutment having an eyelocated exteriorly of the unit for the reception of a fastening element,to secure the unit to a supporting structure.

2. A building unit comprising a plurality of elements, rods extendingtransversely through the elements, each rod having an abutment on oneend located in pressure relation with one side of the unit, said rodsbeing ofiset at their opposite ends to provide abutments having pressurerelation with the unit on its opposite side, and means co-operable onsaid ofisets for securing the unit to a supporting structure.

JOHN MEElGEE.

